The World Meteorological Organization’s Scientific Advisory Panel has elected a new chair and vice-chair to cement engagement with the broad science community and support the evolution of its mandate in weather, climate, water and related environmental and social sciences. As a part of historical WMO reform process two new scientific bodies have been established. Scientific Advisory Panel, consisting of world leading scientists, serves as a major think tank giving strategic guidance in decadal timeframe. Research Board consists of high-level experts on weather, climate and water research...

Over the last years, WMO, in cooperation with various partners, has been developing a new approach for greater engagement between the public, private and academic sectors operating in the global weather enterprise. In 2018 and 2019 – at the 70th Session of its Executive Council and the 18th Session of the World Meteorological Congress – WMO refined guidance and policies to encourage and enable Members to pursue mutually beneficial partnerships and engagement with all sectors and stakeholders in order to enhance weather, climate and water services for business, individuals and society as a...

Following approval of the WMO Reform package by the Eighteenth World Meteorological Congress in June 2019, a Joint Session of the new Technical Commissions and Research Board agreed on working structures in May 2020.

One of the most effective ways to slow down transmission of Coronavirus (COVID-19) is to wash or sanitize our hands. However, 4.2 billion, or 55% of the world’s population, do not have access to even basic hand washing facilities at home. Lack of access to clean water affects vulnerability to disease and ill health. It is especially acute among those living in extreme poverty in rural areas, as well as in informal urban settlements.

WMO is concerned about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quantity and quality of weather observations and forecasts, as well as atmospheric and climate monitoring. The WMO Global Observing System serves as a backbone for all weather and climate services and products provided by the 193 WMO Member states and territories to their citizens. It provides observations on the state of the atmosphere and ocean surface from land-, marine- and space-based instruments.

A wetter than usual rainy season is expected over western and central Sudan, southwestern Ethiopia, southeastern South Sudan, western Kenya, eastern and central Uganda. The season is expected to start early in most farming areas of the region.

The United Nations system, including the WMO, is working together to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in this time of crisis. In addition, WMO has engaged with National Meteorological and Hydrological Services to help alleviate the impacts of the social distancing requirements for COVID-19 on the issuing of life-saving early warnings for weather, climate and water-related hazards to populations at risk.

Tropical cyclones are one of the biggest threats to life and property even in the formative stages of their development. They include a number of different hazards that can individually cause significant impacts on life and property, such as storm surge, flooding, extreme winds, tornadoes and lighting. Combined, these hazards interact with one another and substantially increase the potential for loss of life and material damage.